Rectifier



W. M. FURY RECTIFIER Feb. 18, 1936.

Filed March 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W WTJ M W Feh 18, 1-936. W, M,FURY mamu RECTIFIER Filed March 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I8 14: 3 i I5INVEM'OR Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED S'TAES ATT OFFICE RECTIFIERWilliam M. Fury, Philadelphia, Pa. vApplication March 18, 1933, SerialNo. 661,438

5 Claims. My invention relates .to new and'useful improve- ,inentsinrectifier types of vacuum tubes, so con- 1 structed and of suchmaterials so as to afford a time delay in the operating efiiciency ofsameas a rectifier, in such manner as to eliminate the excessive peakvoltages, so named because they are in excess of the" normal operatingrequire- -1nents of the associated devices, and common to the operationof present day types of rectifier tubes, of the direct heater types,principally used in radio; receiving and broadcasting de- "vices,recording devices, light sensitive devices,

and talkies, and any other devices which require direct currentpotentials and depend on a rectified alternating current supply. Anobject of the invention is decreasedcost in manufacture of associateddevices, because of the fact that theunnecessary and excessive peakvoltages are eliminated by this invention, thereby permitting associateddevices with a lower safe voltage rating than that of presentrequirements.

less bulk.

V A further object of the invention is to decrease the cost inmaintenance of associated devices, be-

..eause of the fact that not only the excessive peak voltages areeliminated by this invention, but particularly due to the fact that thisinvention, instead of delivering voltages in excess of the normalrequirements and instantaneous, as of present day direct heater types ofrectifier, this invention delivers voltages gradually, that is, fromzero volts to maximum, the lfatter of which is to be so proportioned inmanufacture and the vtype of materials used therein, that it will not bein excess of the normal operating requirements of the associateddevices, considering the said associated devices to be electricallyperfect and so assembled as to conform with the theoretical op; erationof thisinvention, such as is necessary in .present types ofrectifiertubes.

A further object of the invention is the structure providing time delay,that is, from start or zero volts (rectified), to maximum volts whichshall be soproportioned in manufacture as heretofore stated, as toconform with the time delay in the associated devices absorption ofcurrent, that is, from start to the time delay necessary before theassociated devices actually absorb their full amount of current, thetime delay of the invention preferably being slightly in excess of thatof the associated devices.

A further object of the invention is a structure to supply voltages toassociated devices gradually, as heretofore stated, regardless ofwhether the associated devices comprise parts or devices which require agiven time before they absorb their full amount of current, the formerof which is much less abrupt and hazardous than supply- '10 ing thevoltages instantaneously in the full amount or in excess of therequirements as of present day types of rectifier tubes.

I have accomplished the said objects by so de-.

signing and constructing rectifier types of vacuum tubes, which wouldfunction or deliver rectifier voltages and currents in a smooth butgradual manner, that is, from zero volts at start and graduallyincreasing in a time ratio as heretofore,

explained, to the full value of voltages and cur- '20 rents, and to notexceed that value, by the incorporation of indirect heaters or cathodesin rectifier types of vacuum tubes, the action and connections of whichis herein further explained.

The drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention and the viewstherein are as follows:

Figure 1 is a view showing a tube broken away, containing the structureof the present invention shown in side elevation, with parts broken awayto show the internal construction,

Figure 2 is a view of the internal construction in edge elevation, asindicated by arrow 2 at Figure 1, and also exhibiting arrow I as thedirection from which Figure 1 is taken,

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the operating parts,taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the operating structure, as indicated byarrow 4 at Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the plate with the bendable earby which the device is assembled, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view in an enlarged detail,showing the upper end of the cathode insulator and sleeve, parts beingbroken away to show the construction more completely.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the rectifier, exactly as shown atFigures 1 to 5 inclusive,

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view similar to Figure I, except that thecathode is connected to an independent conductor;

Figure 9 is a diagrammaticview similar to Figure '7, except that thecathodes associated with each plate are connected together and toindependent conductors,

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

The present invention, being of the tube type of rectifier, comprises,naturally, a tube I0 and base II of substantially the usual and ordinarytype. Within the tube is mounted a flare I2 to which the operatingstructure is attached and upon which it is supported, prior to itsintroduction into the tube I0 and the evacuation of the tube in theusual well-known manner.

The structure carried by the flare I2 comprises supporting conductors I3and I4 which are molded into the material of the fiare in the usualmanner, bosses I5 and I6 being shown, but employed only as, if and whenthe structure otherwise makes them desirable.

Upon the supports I3 and I4 an insulating plate I! is employed, havingperforations therethrough to receive the structure hereinafterenumerated. This plate II may be of any insulating material, butpreferably of mica.

Upon the supports I3 and I 4 are mounted plates or anodes I8 and I9.These plates are, of course, of metal, as is well-known in the art, andare secured to the supports by being distorted at and 2I, as indicatedmore particularly at Figures 1 and 3, so that the supports I3 and I4 areclamped fixedly between the offsets 22 and 23 of the plates.

Upon the top of the plates I8 and I9 a second insulating plate 24 ismounted. The plates I8 and I9 are provided each with a pair of ears 25at the top, and similar ears 26 at the bottom, which are insertedthrough openings 21 in the top plate 24 and openings 28 in the bottomplate I1, and are bent over, as shown more particularly at Figures 2 and4, and in dotted lines at Figure 5, so that the plates I1 and 24 arespaced permanently apart by the intervening plates I8 and Within theplates I8 and I9 insulators are positioned. These insulators compriseelongated multi-tubular members 29, which have passages therethroughwith hair-pin shaped filaments 30 extending through parallel passages inthe insulating tubular structures 29.

Means is provided for properly positioning these insulators between theplates I1 and 24. Preferably, this means is also the metal sleeve 3Iproviding an indirect heater which closely embraces the insulator 29 andprovides shoulders which bear against the approximate sides of theplates I1 and 24.

The insulators 29 themselves pass through the plates, and at oppositeends are provided with wings 32 which fit in perforations of similarform in said plates, and bear against the opposite ends of the embracingsleeves 3|.

Sealed also into the flare I2 are conductors 33 and 34 which are bent inopposite directions, as shown more particularly at Figure 2, andprovided, respectively, with bars 35 and 36.

The extended ends of the filaments of one pair, as indicated at 30' inFigure 2, are crossed and connected, while the opposite ends of saidfilaments, 38", are respectively secured to the bars 35 and 36. V

The sleeves 3| are also provided with tongues 31 and 38, which arerespectively secured to the bars 35 and 36.

The structure may also be provided with a getter plate or a getter cup39, and mercury cup 40, which are employed, respectively, for completingthe evacuation and reducing the internal resistance in the usualwell-known manner.

The several conductors I3, I4, 33 and 34, are, of course, continuedoutwardly through the flare I2 and connected with the usual pins in thebase II (not shown), to conform with standards already established, orwhich may hereafter be established.

The drawings are but one type of rectifier, of the vacuum tube type, towhich this invention is applicable, and is so shown and described merelyto illustrate and describe the application of this invention inrectifier types of vacuum tubes, and it is to be understood that thisinvention shall not be limited to that particular type of rectifier typeconstruction.

One form of this invention is illustrated in the drawings, in which eachcathode sleeve is electrically connected by its associated tongue, toits associated filament conductor. Instead of interconnecting said pairof cathode sleeves, as shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive and abovedescribed, the cathode sleeves 3|, associated with and encircled byplate I8, may be electrically connected to each other, and beelectrically connected to an independent conductor 4I-Figures 12 to 16inclusive, the latter of which is to protrude from the fiare as otherconductors, for electrical connection to an additional and independentbase pin. The other pair of cathode sleeves 3I associated with anencircled by plate I9, may be similarly connected by an additionalconductor 42 similarly mounted in the flare, or all cathodes within theenvelope may be electrically connected together and to an independentconductor 4|, as shown in Figures 17 to 20 inclusive. Regardless of themanner in which the cathode sleeves and/or filaments are interconnected,the principals of this invention remain the same.

As the operation or rectifiers, in general, and

especially of the tube type, are so well-known, it is believed that afurther description of the operation of the device would be surplusage.

Of course, the rectifier herein illustrated may be modified and changedin various ways without departing from the invention herein set forthand hereafter claimed.

I claim:-

1. A tube type rectifier comprising a plate bent to form a hollowchamber, a pair of cathodes mounted within the chamber and spaced apart,said cathodes comprising metallic sleeves filled by insulating materialhaving longitudinal passages therethrough, filaments extending throughone of each of said passages and bent back upon itself and extendedbeyond the same end of said insulator, one of said extended ends beingconnected with an extended end of the other of said filaments, the otherends of said filaments being electrically connected with the sleeves,and conductors leading into said tube and connected with said oppositeends of the filaments.

2. A rectifier comprising an anode of tubular conductive material, aplurality of indirectly heated cathodes mounted within and spaced fromthe anode, heating elements mounted within and insulated from thecathodes, insulating means supporting and structurally connecting theforegoing into a unit, an evacuated envelope enclosing said unit,separate conductors from the heating elements and anode passing throughthe envelope, and means within the envelope connecting the cathodes to aconductor from a heating element.

3. A rectifier comprising a plurality of anodes of tubular conductivematerial, a plurality of cathodes of tubular conductive material mountedwithin and spaced from each anode, a heating element mounted within andinsulated from each cathode, insulating means supporting andstructurally connecting the foregoing into a unit, an evacuated envelopeenclosing said unit, conductors from the heating elements and each anodepassing through the envelope, and means within the envelope connectingan equal number of cathodes to each conductor from the heating elements.

4. A rectifier comprising a plurality of anodes of tubular conductivematerial, a plurality of cathodes of tubular conductive material mountedwithin and spaced from each anode, a heating element mounted within andinsulated from each cathode, insulating means supporting andstructurally connecting the foregoing into a unit, an evacuated envelopeenclosing the unit, and conductors from the heating elements from eachanode and from each group of cathodes within an anode separately passingthrough the envelope.

5. A rectifier comprising a plurality of anodes of tubular conductivematerial, a plurality of indirectly heated cathodes of tubularconductive material mounted within and spaced from each anode, a heatingelement mounted within and insulated from each cathode, meanssupporting, insulating and connecting the foregoing into a unit, anevacuated envelope enclosing the unit, and conductorspassing through theenvelope, separately for the cathodes, for each anode and for theheating elements.

- WILLIAM M. FURY.

